DOUG ASHDOWN- Source

This album is a real beauty. I'm sure if it was an American or British release it would go for stupid money, not the $14 I spent. I love the cover which uses the same template as the great United States of America album also on CBS, perhaps there are more LPs with this design?

Doug Ashdown was an early folky from Adelade, who later became a successful country artist and songwriter both in Australia and the US, and Source, released in 1968, was his third LP. It seems that CBS had recognised his potential early on and may have brought him out to the USA before this LP was made (my info isn't very clear on this). The recordings on Source certainly seem steeped in the folk/country/psych/singer-songwriter thing happening in LA at the time. Brilliantly chosen and challenging covers, by the likes of Fred Neil (The Dolphins), Leonard Cohen (Suzanne), the Byrds (5 D), are given a very personal stamp with relatively spare arrangements, making the most of Doug's big beautiful voice, which at times reaches Fred Neil like intensity and purity, and 12 string guitar, alongside restrained flute, tablas, piano and occasional psychedelic studio effects. A couple of great originals 'Something Strange' and 'Gambaraga', and the opener 'He's All These Things' (composed by Dave Guard once of the Kingston Trio, who after moving to Australia in 1962 became a lynchpin of the progressive Australia folk scene) ramp up the more outsider freak folk vibe, with mystic/religious lyrics and subtly exotic, psychedelic instrumentation.

Source is a fine record with no bum tracks, that I would happily compare to some of my favourite LPs by the likes of Bob Lind, Fred Neil, Gene Clark, the Beau Brummels, et al. Now I just have to find a copy of Doug's 1970 double album of orchestrated country weirdness called The Age of Mouse...

DOUG ASHDOWN- He's All These Things

DOUG ASHDOWN- Something Strange

SWINGERS- It Ain't What You Dance It's the Way You Dance It/Flak

I couldn't resist picking up this 1981 single due to the great sleeve and amazing foldout poster, and I certainly wasn't disappointed when the record hit the turntable. Both sides are aces, though I particularly love the instrumental B-side 'Flak', which got my immediate attention by dint of having one of my all time favourite sounds: spazzy danceable no wave influence new wave pop (for want of a better or at least shorter term); both sides would have fit right at home on Bob Last's //FAST// or Pop:Aural record labels alongside Fire Engines or Boots For Dancing. Whether this is coincidental or not (there certainly does appear to be a lot of Fire Engines records that made it over to Australia/NZ and even the artwork is reminiscent), I don't really care, it's just great to hear!

Apparently 'It Ain't What You Dance...' was the follow up to an Australian number one hit (the ok 'Counting the Beat') and Swingers were a bunch of New Zealanders, including Phil Judd once of Split Enz, and various members of Auckland punk band Suburban Reptiles. I subsequently spent $5 on a copy of Swingers' LP but unfortunately found it to be pretty disappointing, with patchy song writing/singing and a more polished '80s' sound, even the version of 'It Ain't..." seems to be a different mix, though to be fair, the paper thin cheap vinyl Mushroom chose to press the album on doesn't help appreciation much.

That said, Swingers are still legends in my book for this single alone!

(and please do pass on any recommendations for other good down under post-punk records as I'm sure there must be lots more out there...)

SWINGERS- Flak

SWINGERS- It Ain't What You Dance It's The Way That You Dance It